


Stay

by Sharm



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 11:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10490220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharm/pseuds/Sharm
Summary: After an Akuma attack Chat asks Ladybug to stay with him just a little longer.





	

Ladybug looked out over the city with a contented sigh, watching as the swarm of ladybugs flew around it, fixing up the damage the akuma had caused.  The formerly akumatized man was swept up in a hug by his girlfriend before he could even ask what had happened.

"I'm so, so sorry Marcel, I didn't mean to make you think you didn't matter.  You're the most important person in the world to me!"  She kissed him and tugged on his collar.  "Come on, there's still plenty of time to finish our date."

Ladybug smiled as the two scrambled down the spiral stairs off the terrace and out of sight, leaving Chat Noir and herself alone to watch the sunset.  "Good job" she said, reaching her fist down to where her partner sat, crouched.  He smiled up at her and tapped his fist to hers.  He was being unusually quiet today, maybe he felt the same way she did, that this night was to beautiful to disturb lightly.

Her earrings beeped.  Four minutes.  There was a lot of sunset that could be watched in four minutes.  Absently she reached down and ran her fingers through Chat's hair.  She hadn't felt this content in a long time.  The day was saved, the lovers reunited, Chat was by her side, it was a lovely night in Paris and she had nowhere she had to rush to.  It wasn't often that things ended so nicely.

Chat leaned into her hand, purring silently.  She could only tell because she could feel the rumble through her fingers.  It was a pleasant sensation adding to the overall calming feeling.  She'd have to remember to visit this bistro some other day when she could actually eat at one of the tables.  The view was fantastic.  Maybe someday on a date with Adrien.

Beep.  Three minutes.  Technically she could get out of sight and get home in less than two from here, but Tikki hated it when she cut it close.  Slowly she drew in a deep breath and removed her hand from the top of Chat's head.  She really wanted to stay like that forever, it was hard to let it go.  "I should get going.  See you around, Chat."

Ladybug moved to leave but found herself stuck.  Chat's tail and hand were both wrapped around her lower leg, holding her rather effectively in place.  Ladybug looked at him, confused, and was surprised to see that his ears were laid back.  "Chat."

He didn't look up at her, just continued staring ahead.  "Stay." His voice was soft and sad.  It hadn't really been a question, but it wasn't a command either.  It was almost a plea.

"What?  I can't Chat, I've got to get home before my miraculous runs out.  I've got less than three minutes."  Beep.  "Two minutes."

"Please."

Ladybug looked around.  No one had come back up yet, so the bistro terrace was still private.  But there was no good place to hide up here, and there weren't any easy ways to blend into a crowd anywhere close.

"I can't.  I'm going to transform back soon."

"Stay as yourself, I promise not to look.  Please.  I don't want to be alone right now."

She could hear Tikki's protests even now, but it was so hard to say no, especially with him huddled in on himself like that.  She'd been wrong about his motivations for being quiet that night.  Something was going on.

Ladybug bent down to be closer to his level.  "What's wrong Chat?"

"Nothing new.  Just don't want to be alone anymore."  He let out a shuddering breath.  The next thing he said was so soft she was sure it wasn't meant for her to hear.  "I'm always alone."

Beep.  One minute.  Getting home before changing back was no longer an option.  She frowned to herself and brushed a bit of hair out of Chat's face.  "Kitty, I . . . I can't stay.  You know the rules as well as I do."

He closed his eyes and nodded.  "I understand," he whispered, voice tight.

Ladybug stood and pulled gently out of his grasp quite easily now that he was no longer enforcing it.  She took a step away, then another, and was about to turn around when she saw something unexpected.  A teardrop glinted in the fading light as it dropped down onto the pavement.

Her heart lurched, demanding to be listened to for a change.  She needed to be there for him, she couldn't just let him be like this alone.  But she couldn't just give him her identity.  They'd both been told not to by their kwamis from the very start.  She didn't know why it was so important but she trusted Tikki.

She gave a small whine of indecision before giving in and kneeling behind him, slipping her arms around his waist.  She'd figure out how to get out of here with her identity intact later.  She was surprised by how easy it was to wrap her arms around him completely.  She was used to hugging her father and mother, neither of which were nearly this tiny.  Was it normal for a teenage boy to be so thin?  She pressed her cheek to his back as her transformation washed over her.

"Thank you, my lady."  He said with relief.

"M-Ladybug, are you sure about this?"  Tikki whispered at her.

"He needs me right now, Tikki." She said, squeezing tighter.

"Hello Ladybug's kwami." Chat said, his voice strangely hollow but sounding more upbeat and calm than it had a minute ago.  He laid his own arms across hers, holding her to the embrace.

"Hello Chat Noir."  Tikki flitted about, clearly too nervous for a proper introduction.  "Be careful, Ladybug.  He can't know who you are."

"I know, but it'd be even more dangerous to leave him here when he's hurting."  Marinette replied.

"Tikki is right, my lady, I'm being selfish.  I should go." He attempted to stand but didn't get far before Marinette tugged him back to her embrace.

"No, this is important.  We're fine Chat, no one is up here." Marinette said, a little surprised that it was still true.  The bistro must have closed down early for the night.  "I know you Chat, you may joke when I think you shouldn't but you've always done what you say you're going to do and you've never lied to me.  If you say you won't look, I believe you."

Tikki nodded in acceptance and slipped into her purse.

"Chat, It wasn't wrong of you to tell me what you needed.  I want you to.  I'm the one who decided to stay and I'm not taking that back."

She could feel him nod, his hair tickling the top of her forehead.  After a few minutes of companionable silence he let out a heavy sigh and some of the tension left him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"  She asked softly.

"I don't know if I can."  His voice had an extra resonance to it when she had her head to his back like this.  "I've never been able to talk about it to anyone, even Plagg."

"Could you try?"

"Yeah.  Yeah, I'll try."  He took a deep breath, and she loosened her grip a little, letting it expand and contract in time with his lungs.  He gently rubbed one of his thumbs against her arm. "Have you ever believed in something you know isn't true?  Like, you know it's wrong, you have every proof it's wrong, you want to act like it's wrong, but somehow you just can't get away from it?"

Marinette searched her memories.  She couldn't think of anything like that.  The closest thing was her worries about being good enough as Ladybug.  "Maybe.  I sometimes forget that I really did the things I've done as Ladybug, and I feel sometimes like she's a separate person than me, a personality that I put on when I wear the mask.  Tikki often has to remind me that we're the same person, that I'm not any different as Ladybug, just myself with powers.  I don't know that it's completely true.  I'm pretending to be a lot more confident and competent than I really am."

Chat chuckled softly.  "We all do that LB."  He shook his head.  "This isn't quite like that."  He tensed up a little.

"Hey.  It's okay if I don't get it.  Just try."

"Okay."  He shifted, looking around a little.  "Maybe an example.  You and I are partners, right?  Nothing will change that."

"Of course not"  She said adamantly, giving him a squeeze.

"I know that.  I know that better than I know my own name.  But sometimes I don't believe it.  Pretty often, actually."

"You think I'd leave you?"

"I know I shouldn't."

"But you're afraid."

"Yeah."

Marinette stayed silent a moment, thinking.  There had to be a reason he couldn't let it go, or something she could do to ease his worry.  But she didn't have enough information yet.  "Why do you think I might leave?"

"Lots of reasons.  Leaving Paris for a job or school or to follow your family.  Losing your miraculous and being unable to get help.  One of us being Akumatized.  Deciding you'd had enough of me messing up and could do better without me.  Giving up on being a superhero because we defeat Hawkmoth. Getting yourself injured or--" He swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought, but Marinette could hear it clearly enough.   _Getting killed._

Chat's fears weren't as far fetched as she thought they might be.  He was always being so silly, she'd never noticed how deeply his thoughts really went.  She adjusted her grip so that she could free a hand to start playing with his hair again.  Instantly he began to purr.  It was much more pleasant when she could feel it through her whole body and she unconsciously snuggled into it.

"Why do you know I won't?"

"Because you stayed."

Something about that made her shiver.  There was something truthful and binding about it.

Chat noticed her reaction and tried to lighten things up a bit.  "I mean, we've always got each other's backs, don't we bug?  You've certainly got mine right now."

Marinette scoffed and shoved him forward, and Chat laughed at her reaction.

_I'm never letting him go._

The thought was as sudden and surprising as it was sure.  No matter what, this boy was going to be in her life forever, she knew.  She settled into a new position, her back against his.  This was the kind of talk you couldn't really have without touching in some way.  She tilted her head up and looked at the now black sky, wondering when the moon would come out.  "It's not stupid you know.  Your worries."

He tensed again.  "Oh?"

She shrugged.  "They're realistic.  Logical.  But you're right, it's not true.  We're the best team there ever was.  Nothing is ever going to keep us apart.  Not for long."

"Yeah."  This time there wasn't any trace of his early doubt or hesitation.  He took a quick breath.  "Ladybug, I--" He stopped suddenly, losing confidence to say whatever it was.

"Hmm?" She prodded.

She might have missed the shift, but with her entire back pressed against his she could feel the slight deflation as he gave up his attempt.  "Together forever, right?  Cat and Bug team?"

"Come on, we decided on Bug and Cat team."

"You decided."  He leaned back briefly in a playful shove.  "I think Cat and Bug has a better flow to it."

"Pft.  You wish."  They lapsed into a comfortable silence.  After a long while Marinette finally said.  "Together forever."

"Yeah."

She sighed, once again completely content, this time her partner relaxed with her.

It really was a beautiful night.


End file.
